March 30, 2020
When the COVID-19 crisis ends and normal life is resumed, will our behaviour change in the medium- to long-term, for example much more working from home and reduced travel? Before I try to provide some answers to that question, I’d like to consider briefly how the world reacted to the last significant pandemic: Hong Kong… » read more
Posted by pbye
January 6, 2020
The UK’s general election on 12th December resulted in a majority of 80 for the Conservative Party, a larger number than anticipated. Some had expected a much closer result or even a hung parliament. The way is now open for the UK to leave the EU at the end of January. It would take a… » read more
Posted by pbye
November 27, 2019
In December 2015, I posted a blog looking at how services are funded[1]. I’d like to revisit the subject in the context of the promises being made by the major parties in the UK’s general election, due to take place on 12th December. This piece aims to bring the 2015 blog up to date. Shortly… » read more
Posted by pbye
November 11, 2019
As I write, the political parties in the UK are beginning their campaigns for a general election, to be held on the 12th December. It’s the first December general election since 1923; December elections are generally avoided because of the weather and small amounts of daylight. The past few weeks have seen the government agree… » read more
Posted by pbye
August 6, 2019
Since the referendum, we have heard from many leavers and some remainers that the vote was democratic and we must respect it. In recent weeks, the attitude of the Brexiteers has become somewhat shrill. We are told that the vote represents the will of the people[1]. There is increasing pressure for a second vote with… » read more
Posted by pbye
July 23, 2019
In an interview with the Financial Times[1], Vladimir Putin claimed that liberalism was obsolete: ‘…the Russian president said “the liberal idea” had “outlived its purpose” as the public turned against immigration, open borders and multiculturalism’. He made the following statement. ‘This liberal idea presupposes that nothing needs to be done (about immigration). That migrants can… » read more
Posted by pbye
June 6, 2019
The UK has lived in interesting times since my previous post on 20th February. The Brexit date has been postponed twice and now sits at 31st October 2019. Yet another Conservative Prime Minister has been destroyed by the Europe question: Theresa May joins Margaret Thatcher, John Major and David Cameron as the latest victim. And… » read more
Posted by pbye
February 20, 2019
In September 2017, I posted a blog called ‘The rise of the kakistocracy’. Kakistocracy means government by the worst[1]: the most incompetent people are in power. When I wrote the piece, there was no shortage of candidate kakistocracies; Venezuela and Zimbabwe provided two rather extreme examples out of many. But what about the western democracies?… » read more
Posted by pbye
December 5, 2018
Opinions about Brexit can be divided into two broad groups: those that I will call ideology-based and those that are evidence-based. The dominant opinion in the first group is the question of sovereignty. It was a significant factor in the 2016 referendum and continues to motivate many of those favouring Brexit. It can be countered… » read more
Posted by pbye
October 11, 2018
Broadly speaking, scientific research takes two forms. One is applied research, which aims at practical results, such as more efficient and smaller batteries, or electricity generation from solar power. The other form is fundamental research, which is driven by curiosity and aims to expand human knowledge without any specific practical goal in mind. However, fundamental… » read more
Posted by pbye
